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Text When Pegasus Point was a good distance behind them, Luna called a halt for lunch. As ponies ate, she and Scrivener Blooms sat together, Sammy half-wrapped around the male's neck as the two talked quietly, reassuring each other about what was yet to come and discussing what was ahead on the road. The next city they had to pass through was Hosston, a bustling metropolis that was only an hour's march from Charger's Crossing. After that, they would set up camp… and tomorrow, cross the bridge and officially reach the cold north once they made their way through Snow Saddle. The Starlit Knights – and even the stoic Pegasus Guard assigned to aid them – were a little more grim and suspicious when they started back on the road towards Hosston. The landscape here was bleaker, the trees scraggier and here and there visibly warped in unnatural ways, and wild animals eyed the ponies warily, mangy and territorial as they picked at weedy grasses. Domestication and order had been lost here: even the weather had gone wild, a bitter wind blowing sharply over the fields and making the bony branches of blackened trees clack together. Frost and snow unevenly painted the ground and the road, and even as the sun shone down on them, it brought little warmth as gray clouds spilled across a depressed sky, a cold front moving in with malicious speed to add to the misery of the pony caravan. The wagons rumbled down the hard dirt road as they marched forwards, slowed by the winds but all too eager to keep moving if only to keep their bodies warm. It was like nature was taking revenge on them for all the years ponies had tried to control her and guide her, and Luna gritted her teeth as flakes of snow swirled past her face before she glared at Scrivy as the earth pony only trod onwards as if unaffected by the sour weather, giving her a wry half-grin. "Guess my body never forgot the cold…" "No wonder thy body was always so hardy in the face of magic if thou grew up in worse than this…" Luna muttered under her breath, Twilight shivering on her other side as they forged forwards, and she cursed to herself as a thick sweep of snow suddenly gusted by, a white sheet that came out of nowhere and spilled powder over road and ponies… but as they pushed through the snow, the squall ended as suddenly as it had begun, the air going from biting to cold to tender warmth as the winged unicorn looked up in surprise. Pegasi were in the air above, forcefully pushing back the darker clouds and keeping the skies clear around a city surrounded by immense wooden fencing. The gates were already opened for their approach, only a few hundred yards away, and Luna wondered with surprise how she could have not seen the city before now as she led the caravan past the barrier of battling hot-and-cold… but then she glanced over her shoulder, grimaced at the sight of low gray clouds that hung almost as low as fog, winds so sharp they were almost visible and snow lashing back and forth, and she muttered: "Perhaps 'tis not wholly unbelievable after all." "Your ladyship!" called a voice, and Luna looked up in surprise, turning back around and coming to a halt as a unicorn hurriedly approached with two aides, Scrivener Blooms and Luna both calling the order to stop down the line to stunned ponies passing through the weather barrier so they didn't crash into each other. The unicorn smiled at her brightly from behind his monocle, his fluffy white moustache almost as remarkable as the large top hat on the small pony's head as he looked up at her with relief. "We're so glad you made it through the fields… the weather's been completely erratic! But come, come, let's not keep you waiting… I know you have much to do." Luna looked surprised at this, nodding awkwardly as the unicorn bustled quickly in a circle, his aides following with clipboards as the winged unicorn signaled to begin the march forwards again, and Scrivy and Twilight quickly strode up to either of Luna's sides as she said slowly: "Considering the last welcome I received when we passed through a town, this… is a rather surprising turn of events, sir. I expect thou art the mayor of this city, Hosston?" "Yes, oh, and no need for formality, Champion Luna! We heard all about everything, we're so glad you're here, so glad, so glad indeed!" the mayor continued to ramble, puttering onwards towards the open gates in an awkward zigzag, and Luna grimaced a little, moving carefully to avoid stepping on him. "We have some supplies all ready for you at the other end of town, and the route is all planned out, easiest route through Hosston I swear, well maybe one little detour around the bend but that road's no good anyway, no good at all! Do you want to rest? We have lodgings for you all if you want to rest, too!" "That will not be necessary, we wish to reach Charger's Crossing before nightfall… while my soldiers camp there, I have plans to scout the bridge." Luna replied courteously, and the mayor nodded a few times as he pranced onwards, Luna's eyes drawing over the tiny, tan pony and settling on the symbol on his flank: a large black top hat with a purple sash tied around it. "I appreciate your kindness." "Oh, no, no kindness at all, just doing our job, for Equestria, for Queen Celestia… oh, such an honor to have the former princess here, a hero to ponies, isn't that right? Why, leading this mighty army, why, isn't that just something amazing?" the mayor rambled on cheerfully, looking over his shoulder at her and nodding rapidly a few times as they passed through the city gates… and then Luna winced a bit as cheers erupted from either side of the street, where ponies had gathered to watch, many of them holding up signs as confetti and ribbons hailed down around them and somewhere in the distance, a band began to loudly play. Scrivy winced as Twilight looked around in dumb shock, the caravan behind them stuttering as Aleksandr's face puckered like the minotaur had just bitten into a lemon, but the mayor only laughed as he called clearly over the roars of the crowd: "Don't worry, worry not one bit, they're just here to watch, that's all, it's a celebration, we're having a little celebration, a little get-together across the town since it's really just a big small town!" Luna gritted her teeth slowly, hating this almost more than she had hated the revilement in Pegasus Point, leading her soldiers forwards as Starlit Knights gaped at the sight of ponies cheering them on and waving ecstatically at them from the sides of the road. Rainbow Dash grinned as he took the air, leaping up and waving back as a few of the other Pegasi did the same… while Fluttershy hid behind Big Mac as the earth pony walked on, looking unfazed as ever as Pinkamena growled under her breath. It took them more than an hour to walk through Hosston: the mayor led them through a maze of streets, 'coincidentally' took them past City Hall, and acted like he was the one who had brought them himself as he rambled away the entire time, his aides constantly making notes and checking schedules. Luna tried her best to smile, tried her best to look good despite knowing at the same time how bad this could reflect on her: here she was, leading a military brigade on a time-wasting little march through a city for what looked like flank-pats… but if she suddenly turned and pummeled the mayor, that could obviously have bad effects of its own. Finally, the crowds began to thin out as they came to a halt on the other side of Hosston. Pegasi were more lazing than resting here, the weather much calmer on this side of the city, and a few unicorns had assembled several large crates of food at the side of the road, the mayor bouncing over to these before he did a sudden about-face as Luna signaled the caravan to halt before approaching him with a glare in her eye, even as he said knowingly: "You know, we have a lot more where all this came from, too… maybe we can work out a deal, you stay here, you protect our city, you watch out for Hosston and I'll do good things in return for you, give you anything you like… pretty fillies like flowers, right? We got lots of flowers!" And then the mayor squeaked, his aides staring in horror as Luna seized the tiny pony by the scruff of his neck and slammed him up against the crates, leaning slowly, dangerously down as she said darkly: "I do not appreciate being used. I would rather have stones cast upon me and be called Nightmare Moon than be used in such a manner, knave! Do not soil the dignity of myself or that of my soldiers with thy sniveling machinations!" "Wait, wait, wait! Okay, I get it, no flowers!" the mayor squawked, and Luna dropped him flat on his rump, the mayor bouncing once with a yelp before he grinned lamely up at her, adjusting his monocle with a hoof before holding the other up and saying quickly: "Look, we're both grown equines, right? Let's work out a deal. Negotiate. I know you can't really be on the way to North Neigh, that place is a dump, way at the edge of Equestrian territory… even if something bad happens up there, it goes poof, who cares? It must be Snow Saddle, right? How much are they paying you, or do they just pay Canterlot directly? Either way, I can make it worth your while to… to stay here, for an indefinite period… to protect my city, precious Hosston, which, by the way, is almost as important as Hoofston and almost as important as Manehatten, which itself is almost as important as Canterlot, so… you see what I'm saying here, right? We're important!" Luna looked moodily down at him, then she sighed and glanced over her shoulder at Scrivy, saying dourly: "Some days it seems the entire universe is different from the time whence I first lived, Scrivener Blooms. Other days I fear that there has been no change, no progress in any sense at all." She halted, then looked flatly down at the mayor, saying distastefully: "Mayor of Hosston. I must decline thy… generous… offer. I shall take these supplies thou so kindly has provided as recompense for wasting the time of myself and mine soldiers, but offer no further 'gifts,' and think not any bribery or blackmail will avail thee. I am under orders to march to North Neigh, and that is where I intend to head." "Wait, here me out!" the mayor pleaded, scrambling up to her and grabbing her front leg, and Luna winced and looked awkwardly down at the little pony even as she glanced at Twilight, who nodded with a blush, her horn glowing as she picked up one of the crates with telekinesis to carry it back to the supply wagons as several other ponies came forwards to help. "It's not just politics, honestly! In the last few days alone, twenty ponies have vanished… twenty! We're walled in, we have lights on all night, and still, ponies… just up and vanished, most of them Pegasi. Heck, there used to be cloud houses all above Hosston but no Pegasus will live in them, they're all too scared they'll be the next to poof out of existence if they do. "You gotta help, you just gotta help, you gotta!" the mayor pleaded, rubbing his face against her forelimb, and Luna grimaced as she shook him firmly before finally dislodging him with a light punt backwards, the tiny pony wheezing as he bounced once on his back before quickly hopping back to his hooves as his top hat fell from his head. "Come on, you can't ignore this, right?" "Mayor, they plight pains me, mistake me not… but all this evil stems from the same source, and hacking wildly at its branches will do no good. Great evil has been visited upon a village in the north, and all those who have investigated have vanished… something hides there, under veil of shadow. I must expose this evil… but thou has my word, that upon my return, if such wickedness still prevails in Hoofston, I will linger here and help find its source and remedy it." Luna sighed a little after saying this, regretting it almost instantly even as the mayor looked at her with something like relief. "But do not attempt again to use me or lure me, understood? I am not a trophy upon a mantelpiece, I am not a parade float to be dragged willy-nilly through thy town to boost morale." "Of course, of course! We'll work out all the details, we'll be waiting, don't forget!" the mayor said quickly, nodding a few times and sweeping his hat up from the ground, bowing to her several times before he dashed quickly away, and his aides winced but followed after the little pony after a moment, grumbling and looking as frustrated with him as Luna felt. She looked moodily towards Hosston's tall wooden walls, shaking her head slowly as she muttered: "Wretched little ingrate… I wonder if it speaks of better or worse things that politicians now seek to corrupt more often with wealth than they do with threats of violence?" "I see your point, but who would threaten you, Luna?" Scrivy pointed out, and Luna shrugged a little at this, nodding thoughtfully before the earth pony glanced up as Sammy scuttled quickly onto his head and chirped loudly before he leaned forwards and spat out a letter to the surprise of both ponies, the male asking curiously: "How long have you been holding onto this?" Sammy mimed a shrug with his bony little shoulders, then he chirped as he snuggled himself back down against the male's neck, Scrivener Blooms glancing automatically towards the letter as it floated into the air and unfurled with a flick of Luna's horn, reading quietly: "'Dearest sister. I am writing you a quick letter to inform you that a message has arrived from North Neigh, denying any need for help and explicitly requesting me to order a retreat. I have already replied that you will not be turning back and you will lodge in North Neigh in order to conduct an investigation into Silver Hoof's destruction, whether or not North Neigh requires aid. I felt it was important to warn you, however, that North Neigh and its citizenry may be more hostile than I first anticipated: I will keep you informed if any diplomatic measures will need to be taken. Love always, Celestia.' 'Diplomatic measures…' somehow, even if she has changed, that phrase doesn't scare me any less." "Aye, and it should not. A sleeping, tranquil dragon is no less a dragon, even if it dreams of puppies and moonbeams… I am sure that if pushed, sister would be more than happy to push back, should it be required." Luna said distastefully, and then she grimaced and shook her head, muttering: "'Tis worrisome, though. To attempt to deny us entirely… that I did not expect. I expected bigotry, and maliciousness, and to hear the awful term 'slave-hoof' and other wicked slurs thrown around like hay in the wind, and of course, a refusal to be provided lodgings… but to send message to Celestia with what sounds like all-but-orders to keep us away… I do not like what it foreshadows." Scrivy nodded slowly, then he shook his head as two Pegasus Guards carefully lifted the last supply crate between them, hefting it into the air and flying towards the supply cart as Luna rolled the letter back up, folding it down and tucking it beneath her armor as she said distastefully: "But we shall deal with things as they come, as we always have… for now, Scrivener Blooms, let us return to the road. Barring further meddling or catastrophe, we should still be able to reach Charger's Crossing before nightfall… Twilight Sparkle, I wish for thee to lead the caravan this time, however, and stay back from the vanguard. Should a sudden storm strike, thou may have to use magic to clear the path and locate our position." "Alright Luna, if… if you're sure." Twilight looked hesitant at the thought of trying to lead the caravan on her own, but Luna only smiled at her soothingly, and it was enough for Twilight to sigh and awkwardly nod, straightening and mumbling: "Okay. But if a storm hits…" "One shall be quick to find the other, worry not. We shall use Trixie's location spell." Luna softened, glancing to the side as Twilight gazed up with a small smile, and then the two winged unicorns gazed at each other for a few moments before Luna stepped forwards and kissed her cheek gently. "For luck. The rest of thee, assemble forwards… we march on." Pinkamena, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Aleksandr nodded as Scrivy gave Twilight a smile before he automatically fell into step next to Luna as she turned to stride onwards, smiling as she heard Twilight beginning to call orders to the column of supply wagons behind them. "I am proud of her, Scrivener Blooms. She has come a great distance… they all have, but Twilight… Twilight is special to me." "Everypony loves Twilight." Pinkamena said flatly, and both Luna and Scrivy glared at her, but the earth pony only sniffed in response. "Well, it's true. Personally, I think she's just a meddler. Messiah complex… better to be a destroyer than a savior, that's what I think. Saviors kill far more people than destroyers can even dream of, even in their darkest imaginings." Rainbow Dash snorted at this, glancing up as the wind whispered through his mane before he hopped into the air and easily took flight, keeping himself moving low and steady as he said dryly: "You sure that's just not jealousy, Pinkamena? Not that I have to point this out or anything, but you're kind of evil. And so far, all it seems all you like to do is kill stuff." Pinkamena only rolled her eyes in response, retorting: "Because you know me so well, don't you Dashie? But for once, I'm not holding your self-obsession over your head… we're all here for our own reasons at the end of the day, or worse, because Princess Sunshine asked us to be. Even Twilight's here helping Nightmare Moon because Princess Sunshine put her in charge of the Starlit Knights…" "Oh, cease thy rabble-rousing, Pinkamena, 'lest I pummel thee and leave thee on the side of the road for the Phookas to gorge on." Luna muttered, and Pinkamena threw her head back and laughed at this, making the winged unicorn look all the more sour. "It is as if thou art trying to test my patience past its limits." "Just keeping you on your hooves, Nightmare Moon… just seeing how far past the marked lines the real borders begin." Pinkamena grinned slightly at her, her red-rimmed eyes gleaming as she looked back and forth between the others. "We all like to tell ponies where our edges are, after all, without ever knowing ourselves. Most ponies will tell you they can't stand this or that, when they, in fact, can… others say they have so much patience for such-and-such or so-and-so, but they don't, not really. I like knowing where the real lines in the sand are drawn, where friction begins… I like knowing what makes ponies begin to fight." "I think that's enough, sugar-cube." Applejack said calmly but firmly, and Pinkamena shot her a dour, irritated look. "Listen, I get that you're a little… different from us other ponies, but you do understand you're still a friend, right? Ain't right to try and make friction between the ponies you're supposed to be friends with." "And you want to be a leader, but you know you're too bullheaded – no offense, bitok – to make as good of one as Twilight. You get hung up on things, and your pride takes over and you feel the need to start doing everything yourself. All your way or the highway… and much as I hate to say it, that doesn't always work." Pinkamena made a face, looking grouchily up towards the sky. "Which is really too bad. Then I could have always done things my way, and there'd never have been any need for sissy." "At least thou seems to recognize the need for thy twinned side." Luna said moodily, and Pinkamena grumbled under her breath but for once didn't argue, even as the other ponies continued to glower at her. "But do us all a favor, creature, and try to remember that we are all allies here." "Oh, it's not that I don't recognize that, Nightmare Moon… if I didn't, I would have killed the other ponies in my tent before going to sleep." Pinkamena replied leisurely, and then she grinned slightly, adding easily: "Not that Rarity seemed to sleep very well… I guess I must give ponies bad dreams." "Calm now, Djavol, enemies need scaring more than ally." Aleksandr said mildly as he shouldered his heavy hammer, and Pinkamena sighed and rolled her eyes, even if she seemed to reluctantly agree. "You are still four-hoof, whether or not Djavol too. You must work with other four-hoofs." "I wonder whether or not I really am sometimes…" Pinkamena muttered moodily, looking down as her mane fell over her features like a curtain, and Luna gave her a soft look over her shoulder, understanding the sentiment all too well and feeling a sudden burst of sympathy for this strange creature even as the other ponies only continued to regard her warily. They strode onwards, mostly in silence, facing a bitter wind that hissed across the plains now and then, like cold curses that came at them from between nature's grit teeth. The ground here was frosted and icy, but there was little snow, on the bright side… and it was only a little over an hour before they came to a wide, open field that had obviously been used as a campsite for travelers in happier times. Chopped, mildewed wood was still piled at one side of the park at the side of the road, near several craggy, rotting trees, and Luna grimaced as she looked up at the overcast, moody gray sky, the air around them getting darker by the moment as the sun began to set before she ordered: "Rainbow Dash, scout the weather above. I wish to know how wicked it is." "Got it, boss." Rainbow smiled, nodding quickly before he leapt up into the air, wings propelling him skywards even as the wind buffeted his armored body. Luna glanced up after him for a moment, then she returned her eyes to the half-frozen field, relaying quick orders to the rest of the vanguard as another bitter chill drove past. When Rainbow Dash returned, he shook his head, muttering: "Sea of clouds for miles around, Luna… I could cut a hole in it, but it would only give us… ten minutes, maybe? Sun's almost set, too, but… it feels like more than because of sunset that it's so damn dark, you know what I mean?" "Aye, I do, and all too well. Does thou feel it, Pinkamena?" Luna asked quietly, glancing towards where the earth pony was stacking loose branches she had gathered from the trees, and the female looked up with a half-grin as she nodded and licked her lips slowly. "'Tis Helheim's energies. 'Tis demonic corruption… and I need not Discombobulation to point it out." She paused, glancing back and forth and muttering: "And I see not the resident of Ginnungagap despite his promise to aid us. I wonder if he is… oh, wait, no. The creature speaks with Scrivener Blooms." Applejack and Rainbow Dash both looked surprised to realize the earth pony wasn't with them, glancing back and forth from where they were clearing away debris from the fields, and Luna grinned slightly as she glanced up, saying plainly: "Well, what would be the point of linked souls if I could not send my daydreamer off on adventure every now and then?" Scrivy could feel Luna's amusement… and her faint anxiety, striding slowly down the dirt road, the male's eyes roving back and forth as he passed scraggy, ugly trees. An unsightly, mottled bear was half-hiding in one of these copses, thin to the point of emaciation, chewing slowly at a rotted stump and foaming a little at the jaws, diseased and not seeming to notice the earth pony as he passed… or Discombobulation, who strode calmly beside Scrivy, the creature's hands behind its back as they both turned their eyes towards the end of the road, where dusty highway met wooden ramp that led onto a goliath stone bridge. The riverbank was squat and ugly, tattered with weeds and ugly, frozen overgrowth: ice had spread perhaps some ten feet out into the deep, wide strait, the water black and ugly and swirling with both shadows and floating pieces of ice. And looming over it, almost fifty feet wide and perhaps ten miles long, was Charger's Crossing: the largest bridge in all of Equestria, anchored by enormous pillars through the Northedge Strait, which had once likely been a gorge back when this had first been built by unknowable creatures. The stone was ancient, the gray of volcanoes and ash, but even now smooth and with little wear upon its mighty, thick bulk: the wooden ramp leading up had obviously been broken and repaired countless times, but the bridge itself was mighty and indomitable and ageless, pillars spaced every forty feet or so beneath it on either side of the heavy construction, tall, square ramparts bordering either edge, neatly spaced, with heavy iron chains strung between the on heavy, ancient rings. And all along the sides of the huge bridge, some patient entity had gone through the trouble of carving figures and shapes in the stone, of making one vast story that historians and storytellers had puzzled over for countless years: some said it was prophecy, others said it was only endless imagery from whatever civilization had existed here before and built this magnificent structure… "Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair! Nothing beside remains. Round the decay of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare, the lone and level sands stretch far away." Discombobulation quoted quietly, gazing at this bridge, the way it curved roughly thirty feet upwards, then simply went straight across the gaping strait. "I suppose I don't have to point this out, Luna, but knowing Twilight, she'll be upset if I don't. There's an awful reek in the air… someone has been preparing a trap here. Helheim's energies corrode the air, and demons and burnt-pork have been here often… and… oh, look, it seems we've disturbed the presence of that miserable wreck of pasted-together souls you hate, and who hates you even more than he does Scrivener Blooms." Scrivy looked up sharply, gazing back and forth as the darkness around them seemed to grow for a moment… and then he set himself as Ignominious formed in mid-stride on the bridge, black smoke whispering off his body as he calmly walked to the edge of the ramp and then halted, glaring down at the two with disgust as Discombobulation only looked up mildly and Scrivener's eyes glowed with hatred, feeling Luna stiffen back at the campsite, feeling her emotions, her rage, and a whisper of warning. "Back for another beating, Ignominious?" "We shall see who beats who, slave-hoof." Ignominious said in a disgusted voice, and Scrivy felt Luna's flare of rage before the demonic equine strode slowly down the ramp, stepping onto the cold dirt road as Scrivy felt Luna rushing towards them from the campsite now, and the earth pony gritted his teeth as he met the black, soulless eyes of the demon for a few moments before Ignominious said distastefully: "Disgusting. So filthy, so arrogant… even when I was alive, I was stronger than you are now, Scrivener Blooms. And forget not that once I puppeted you like a toy. You were helpless. If I wanted to, I could have killed you by now." "Yes, well, you're free to try possessing me again, Ignominious, I promise I got a real surprise in store for you." Scrivy replied moodily, but the dark horse only snorted in loathing, pacing moodily in front of them before his eyes roved to study Discombobulation, as the earth pony asked coldly: "What do you want?" "What does everypony want? Power and respect." Ignominious halted, looking over the Draconequus with disgust as Discombobulation gazed icily back down, unnaturally tense and serious, his arms crossed and his features emotionless. "You have strange allies, Scrivener Blooms. Nightmare Moon and an incarnation of madness from Ginnungagap, as well as mortal ponies and a few other freaks… what a jolly little band you all make…" "Silence, wretch!" snarled a voice, and Luna landed a moment later beside Scrivy, Ignominious wincing backwards as the winged unicorn leaned forwards aggressively, her eyes glowing as she asked furiously: "And tell me why I should not peel thee apart in the here and now, monster?" Ignominious gritted his teeth, glaring at her before he stepped forwards, the two snarling at each other before the dark equine said contemptibly: "Because I haven't yet given you a reason, and you're still bound by the old laws and codes of honor, Luna. So I've come with a proposition: let's settle things, tonight. Here, upon this bridge… you and your precious Scrivener Blooms, in a battle to the death with me. I still remember the old ways, of knights and paladins… it'll be just like old times, Luna. Before you betrayed me. Before you… drove me into turning into this!" He gestured violently at himself, the screaming faces that made up his body all pushing outwards for a moment against his hide as Luna winced a bit… but then Discombobulation leaned to the side, saying distastefully: "A competent and self-confident person is incapable of jealousy in anything. Jealousy is invariably a symptom of neurotic insecurity." "Do not speak in my presence, hideous patchwork doll!" Ignominious snapped, snarling up at Discombobulation, and the Draconequus reared back as the demonic horse's horn glowed. "What does your brainless kind know of mine, or of Helheim? Thriving on chaos, nothing but the rats in the garbage heap of the universe, nothing but-" Discombobulation glared as he clapped his hands twice, and a moment later a great burst of snow fell from the air, crashing on top of the demon and burying him completely before the Draconequus nimbly sprung backwards and high into the air, flipping his body with all the grace of a ballerina before he put his hands out in front of himself and dove into the ground as if it was liquid, solid earth rippling like water as the hell horse buried under snow gave a roar of frustration beneath the heavy ivory drift. It burst apart into steam and water, Luna and Scrivy both grimacing in disgust at the reek that went up as Ignominious snarled back and forth, looking infuriated before Luna said coldly: "We accept your challenge. We meet on Charger's Crossing at midnight. We battle beneath the moon." Ignominious looked almost surprised at this, glancing towards her before Luna stepped forwards and bowed her head towards him, her horn gleaming… and the demonic equine gritted his teeth, then he stepped slowly towards her as well, lowering his own horn and tapping it twice against Luna's before they straightened and glared at each other for a few long, uneasy moments. Then, slowly, Ignominious stepped backwards, his body slowly fading to smoke and dust as he said softly: "I'll be waiting, Luna Lightblade, for you and your precious husband… we'll finally prove who's better after all these long years…" "Aye, Ignominious, that we shall." Luna said quietly, watching the demonic equine fade slowly from reality… and then she closed her eyes and silently turned, dropping her head against Scrivy's neck as he wrapped a foreleg around her, the two silently sitting in front of the bridge, feeling the hidden corruption of Helheim pulsing around them, both anxious for what lay ahead… and with a terrible, dark eagerness pulsing in their mixed soul. Top ↑ Category:Transcript Category:Story